Air cleaner and filter



Nov. 24, 1931 l7 INVENTOR. Ha r/"y G/m'ct ATTORNEY.

H. SMICK 1,833,622

' AIR CLEANER AND FILTER Filed Jan. 26. 1931 Patented Nov. 24,1931

emu srares HARRY SMICK, OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AIR CLEANER- AND FILTERApplication filed January 26, 1931. Serial No. 511,318.

My invention relates to air cleaners and filters and more particularlyto cleaners and filters that are adapted to be installed on the airintake sleeves of carburetors for internal combustion engines and thelike. Certain ob;- jects of the invention are toprovide an air cleanerand filter embodying means for 'removing the dust from the entering airwhich causes scratching and scoring of the cylinders and comprisingnovel fabric filter and retainer means therefor, novel entry means fordirecting the air against oil whereby the dust is caused to adherethereto, and novel bafile means for preventing the oil from being suckedinto the engine by the force; of the air on the intake stroke. v

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription pro ceeds, the invention consists of the novel construction,adaptation, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter describedand claimed. These objects are accomplished by devices illustrated inthe accompanying drawings; wherein 2- Figure 1 is a general View in sideelevation showing the device mounted in connection with the engine of amotor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a view in central vertical section 4 of the device;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the upper casingmember of the device;

. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the lower casing member;

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section of the lower casingmember taken ona broken line 5, 5 of Fig. 4; and v Fig. 6 is an inverted perspectiveview of a fragmentary portion of the upper casing member showing the rimlocking means for the lower wire screen. V

Referring to the drawings throughout which like reference numeralsindicate like parts. the numeral 5 designates the upper cylindricalcasing member and 6 designates the lower casing member whose upper edgeis adapted to telescopically receive the lower edge portion of saidupper member and both -of said membersare provided with a bead 7 whichbeads serve as stops for the respective edges of the members as shown inFig. 2 of the drawings. Said upper casing member is provided at its topwith an outlet nozzle 8 that is adapted to be connected by means of apipe 9 with a carburetor 10 of a motor vehicle engine 11 as shown inFig. 1.

The upper casing member 5 is internally provided with a horizontalscreen or wire mesh partition 12 fixed within its top portion of anydesirable means. A mass of steel wool or other like fabric 13 is filledinto said upper casing member and pressed. upwardly against said screen.The steel wool, or other fabric is preferably in one piece so that, withthe aid of said screen, small particles or strands of the fabric areprevented from being sucked into the carburetor by the intake stroke ofthe engine as will be understood.

The steel wool or other filter fabric 13 is held upwardly within theupper casing member 5 by means of a lower screen or wire mesh 14. Theperipheral portion of said lower screen is provided with a metal rim 15that is provided with outer edge slots 16. Lugs 17 are fixed tov theinner wall of said casing member in spaced relation corresponding withthe spacing of the slots. Said lower screen is pushed upwardly againstthe filter fabric until the slots in its rim pass by said lugs and then,by means of small handles 18 fixed to the underside of the screen rim asshown in detail in Fig. 6, the screen is slightly turned to lock it inplace against the filter fabric.

A quantity of comparatively heavy oil, as

shown at 19 in Fig. 2, is placed in the bottom of the lower casingmember 6. Said lower casing member is provided on its exterior upperportion with a pair of diametrically opposite air intake ports 20 whosebottoms slant downwardly to direct the incoming air against the oil asindicated by direction arrows. Said intake ports are screened by fine wire meshes 21 which prevent heavy particles of dirt from entering thedevice. The inrushing air strikes the oil which removes the coarse orheavy dust by adherence thereto as will be understood.

A horizontal baflle plate 22 is installed within the upper .portion ofthe lower casing member 6. Said battle is substantially the force of theair from sucking the oil 19 up wardly. The lateral edges of said baffleplate are bent downwardly, as at 23, which additionally prevents the oilfrom being sucked upward'and directs it back into the bottom of saidlower casing member. Said battle is centrally provided with an aperture24 for upward passage of the air and which a erture also serves tocentralize the air as it re ounds upwardly from the surface of the oil.

An upstanding elliptical shaped baffle 25 is provided in the bottom ofthe lower casing member 6. The major axis of said bafile extendsentirely across said lower casing and at right angles to the horizontalbaflie plate 22. Said baflle prevents the air from causing excessiveagitation of the oil and also aids in preventing it from being suckedupwardly y the force of the air. 'The bottom of said bafile is cut away,as at 26, so that the oil may circulate and absorb the dirt more evenlyand completely that is deposited therein.

The means for fastening the upper and lower casing members 5 and 6,respectively, together comprises a pair of long bolts 27 that are.pivotally secured at diametrically opposite points, as at 28, to thesaid upper casing member whereby they may be swung outwardly. The lowerthreaded ends of said bolts are arranged to engage into slots 29provided in the ends of a yoke plate 30 which fits across under thebottom of said lower casing and is held securel by wing nuts 31 as willbe understood. T is arrangement provides means whereby the lower casingmay be readily removed and cleaned and the oil renewed.

In the operation of the device the heavy dust is removed by adherence tothe oil 19* as hereinbefore set forth, and the fine dust is removed bythe'filter fabric 13 during the passage of the air therethrough asindicated by direction arrows in Fig. 2. parent that I have providedmeans for delivering clean air to the engine whereby a purer mixture offuel is effected and scoring and scratching of the engine cylinder wallsby dust and other foreign matter is prevented.

Having thus described my invention, it being understood that minorchanges in the construction and arrangement -of the device may beresorted to without departing from the scope and spirit of theinvention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is 1. An air cleaner and filter having in combination anupper casing member, an outlet said upper casing is adapted nozzlewhereby to be connected to the air intake of an inter nal combustionengine, a wire screen partition for the upper interior portion of theupper casing member, a mass of filter fabric packed agamst said screen,a lower wire It will now be apof the lower casing mem er, the bottoms ofa said entry ports slanting downwardly'whereby the entering air isdirected against the oil, a horizontal baflle plate substantially equalin width to the entry ports and disposed in alignment therewith, saidbaflie hav ing a central aperture, and an upstanding bafiiedisposedacross thebottom of the lower casing at right angles to thehorizontal baflle plate.

2. An air cleaner and filter having in combination an upper casingmember, an outlet nozzle whereby said upper casing is adapted to beconnected to the air intake of an internal combustion engine, upper andlower screen partitions for the upper casing member, filter fabricpacked between said screens, means for securing the lower screen againstsaid fabric, a lowercasing member, means for detachably fastening saidlower and up- I per members together, dlametrically opposite a1r entryports slanting downwardly from the upper portion of the lower casing,oil

disposed in the bottom of the lower casing member, a horizontal baflleplate disposed in alignment with the air entry ports, and

said bafiie having a central aperture.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' HARRY SMICK.

